Lara Belle Shows Her Soul
Lara Belle wowed me with her down right, down-to-earth soul style this Saturday at Kat’s Café. The super tight musicianship from her band didn’t hurt either. Lara Belle’s first CD is debuting Summer 2009, and Lara offered plenty to anticipate. To read my full blog, CLICK HERE.
Lexi Street Romances the Red Light Late Saturday Night
Her face steeped in a deep crimson glow, the beautiful Lexi Street gave a fiery performance this Saturday at the Red Light Café in commemoration of her second CD release, Champagne Promises. The performance was hot and the red light crowd couldn’t get enough of Lexi’s smooth vibes. Erin Griffith who opened the evening with a cover of Lexi Street’s song “Beautiful South” says of her music, “I would describe it as getting a big giant hug”. Read my full blog, click here.
Rain Can't Stop the Jaspects From 'Doin' the Butt'
Atlanta’s music lovers dodged the rain this weekend at Villa Christina to soak up the last bit of warm summer jazz. Vocalist Tammy Allen set the groove, and the genre expanding Jaspects rocked it. Due to rain the event moved downstairs to a spacious concert hall framed in ceiling high glass windows where the audience could keep an eye on the weather. When asked of the last minute venue change, audience member Christina says “You got to roll with the punches. If you’re a live music or jazz lover, it doesn’t matter where you are”.
Caroline Aiken and Friends
Caroline Aiken, Dede Vogt and Meike Roester put on an amazing performance at Eddie's Attic on Friday night. It was a very enjoyable evening with an atmosphere and music that spoke to the audience. The house was packed and the crowd was having a fun, relaxing time. Check out the complete blog, click here
Southern Rock Fusion Bands at Vinyl
On Friday, August 7, 2009 four bands came together at Vinyll in downtown Atlanta for their part in the Southern Rock Fusion Bands. The four bands consisted Nobody's Darlin, Thomas Wynn and The Believers, Ethan and the Ewox, and Faithless Town. These bands brought a very diverse crowd into Vinyll with their different twists to rock. The crowd was very pleased with the diversity within the rock genre. To read my full blog click here
ASCAP event at Smith's Olde Bar featuring The Futurebirds
The ASCAP event at Smith's Olde Bar was very entertaining and included a wide range of diverse music from many talented acts. One of the bands featured was The Futurebirds and they put on a high energy and colorful show. The event attracted a large crowd that was very pleased with the bands performing and the atmosphere. To read my full blog, click here
Nick Edelstein at Zuffy's Place
Nick Edelstein and his band put on a very entertaining performance in the relaxing, cool atmosphere of Zuffy's Place on Thursday night. It was a very fun evening with awesome food and people. To read my full blog click here.
Mudcat at the Northside Tavern
Mudcat played to a packed house at the Northside Tavern on Friday night. The evening was very exciting and entertaining. Mudcat put on an awesome show that will make anyone jump out of their seats and grove to the down home blues he plays. To read thr full article click here.
Atlanta History Center presents Anthony David, Kyshona Armstrong and John West at Southern Music event
The Atlanta History Center had a variety of soulful music at their Southern Music event on June 4th. Singer/songwriters Kyshona Armstrong, John West and Anthony David were all present at the event and all of them put on a really awesome show. This event was very relaxing and enjoyable. To read the rest of my blog click here
Cafe 290 presents Joe Gransden and a smokin' 16 piece Big Band
Joe Gransden and his 16 piece band rocked the house on Monday June 1st. He performed to a packed house filled with many people who strongly supported him. It was a very exciting show and Joe engaged the audience with his big band, jazz style. Joe and his band perform the first & third Monday of every month. I highly recommend checking it out if you want to have a swingin' time with a cool atmosphere and great music. To read my full blog click here
Imax and Martinis at Fernbank featuring Will Scruggs Jazz Fellowship
Every Friday night Fernbank holds their Imax and Martini event which is a very pleasurable experience. If you are in the mood to sit back, relax and sip on a martini of your choice, then this event is something that you need to check out. On May 29th, Will Scruggs Jazz Fellowship band performed some of their latest music set a very classy, relaxing mood for the audience members who were enjoying themselves and the atmosphere. To read my full blog click here
Atlanta Jazz Festival 2009
Soothing sounds of jazz and soul filled the air in Atlanta this past weekend at the 32nd Annual Atlanta Jazz Festival. The people of Atlanta came out to Grant Park to take in all of the festivities including music, artwork, food and games. The smiles that captivated everyone's face showed that the audience truly enjoyed wat the festival had to offer. Whether people were there for their first time or their sixth time, the festival held up to the expectations of the audience. To read my full blog click here
The Jaspects CD Release Party at the Apache Cafe
On Saturday, April 18th, the Jaspects held their CD Release Party for "The Polkadotted Stripe" at the Apache Cafe. Excitement was in the air and the small cafe was about as packed as it could be. Jimi Cravity opened with excellent songs, a cover of "Crazy" by Gnarles Barkley, and some anticipation for the Jaspects. When they finally took the stage around 11:15pm, you couldn't move left or right because the room was so full of dancing people. The Jaspects really outdid themselves, playing a continuous mix of their songs that combined, jazz, hip/hop, and just about every other genre. They define themselves as "debunking the industry's notion of genres," and I found nothing to be more true while listening to them. To read my full blog on this event, Click Here.
The Brilliant Inventions CD Release Party at Eddie's Attic
The Brilliant Inventions played a sold out show at Eddie's Attic on Saturday, April 11th. The room was packed, the conversation and drinks were flowing, and the music was excellent. Ms. Gilda Sue Rosenstern and Matthew Kahler opened for TBI to much enjoyment of the audience. When it was time for The Brilliant Inventions to take the stage, Josh and Eliot were at once visibly comfortable and obviously excited and happy to be promoting their new CD, Have You Changed. They played a good mix of old and new, introducing each song with a story (usually very entertaining) of its origin or history. I noticed that no matter how funny and quirky they were before the song, when it came time to play, especially the songs off Have You Changed, the amount of emotion and seriousness that could be felt emanating from the duo was particularly awe inspiring. To check out my full blog of this event, Click Here. To listen to my interview with The Brilliant Inventions, Click Here.
Kirk McMillan at Smith's Olde Bar
In the early evening at Smith’s Olde Bar, Kirk McMillan took the stage in the Atlanta Room to share his Americana/Classic Southern Rock sound with an enthusiastic audience. Kirk’s band was composed of a keyboardist, a guitar player, a bass player, and a drummer. Kirk himself played the guitar and was the main voice of the band. With a good beat and energy enough to fill the entire bar, the band and Kirk began their set with a sound that immediately reminded me of a combination of Jon Bon Jovi and Tom Petty. Very down to earth and relaxed, Kirk McMillan put on an enjoyable, toe-tapping show Thursday night. To read my full blog on this event, Click Here.
Callanwolde Spring Piano Series, Part 1: Dr. Evgeny Rivkin
At beautiful, historic Callanwolde Fine Arts Center, the Spring Piano Series has begun. On Friday, March 20th Dr. Evgeny Rivkin travelled from Athens, Georgia to play for a small audience eager to hear his music. The audience in attendance was quite small and intimate. Dr. Rivkin has played in numerous famous concert halls across the world, has earned multiple top prizes, and now teaches as the University of Georgia. The reason for his international acclaim was obvious when he began to play. It was striking, beautiful, and classic, probably very much as the original composers had intended. The evening was quite an event, and Mozart, Beethoven, Debussy, and Chopin would have been impressed with Dr. Rivkin's playing of their works. To read my full blog on this event, Click Here.
The Atlanta Room at Smith's Olde Bar on Piedmont Avenue was packed in anticipation of Jeff Delbridge, Pete Schmidt, and of course, Matt Ryczek. The crowd was a fresh group of 20 to 30 somethings, all eating, drinking, and in the middle of loud, fun conversations. Jeff and Pete paved the way for Matt to take the stage with some classic singer/songwriter guitar playing and personable lyrics. Many cheers greeted Matt's arrival onstage, and continued as he too held true to the singer/songwriter genre. His smooth voice, accompanied by first the guitar and then the piano, kept the crowd feeling pleasant and at ease. To read my full blog on this event, Click Here.
Connor Christian at the Vinyl
The crowd was large and the mood was right for a show with plenty of Southern Americana flavor at the Vinyl on Saturday night. The young to middle aged crowd laughed, drank, played pool, and of course, listened to Connor Christian, The Hollidays, and Saint Francis bring forth the music with much fervor and fun. The music was soulful and a good dose of southern sweetness for all to enjoy long into the night. To read my full blog on this event, Click Here.
Marshall Ruffin Trio CD Release Party at Smith's Olde Bar
The set progressed between an Appalachian-sounding and New Orleans Blues sound for three hours and its a credit to the performers that the performance never lulled. To compare them to an energized Tom Waits would not be a strectch and, in fact, MRT and Joe McGuinness both did Tom Waits covers at some time in the night. I talk about them simultaneously because for a large portion of the night they played as pretty much one band, riffing off of each other’s stuff and basically turning an opening act and a main act into one big jam band. There were differences of course: where McGuinness provided mossy-smooth, humorous songs, MRT took that same smooth bluesy sound and invigorated with an acoustic intensity and manual dexterity that warmed the ears. To see my complete blog on this party, Click Here.
Brian Wiltsey CD Release Party at Smith's Olde Bar
On Thursday, February 12th, a small crowd packed into the Atlanta Room in Smith's Olde Bar. The food and drinks were fantastic, and the air was buzzing with excitement about Brian's performance. Many of those in the room seemed to be friends or fans of Brian's, and the conversation was loud and friendly. The Atlanta Room was an excellent place to hold an intimate concert. Somehow, all five members of Brian's band fit on the small stage and gave the audience a powerful, soulful performance not soon to be forgotten by any of those in attendance. Brian mixed songs from his new CD and his old ones into the show so everyone got to hear what they knew and loved and also got to hear a lot off his new album. To see my complete blog on this party, Click Here.
Vinx CD Release Party at the Apache Cafe
The tiny Apache Café on 3rd Street in Atlanta hosted the CD Release Party for internationally acclaimed artist Vinx Saturday night. Though he has a home in McRae, Georgia, he is so often traveling, recording with artists, and giving back to the community that this show was a rare treat. As soon as the doors opened at 9pm, the lights dimmed down to the candle-lit tables and the place was soon filled to standing room only. A few artists warmed up the stage for Vinx with several heartfelt songs while Vinx himself greeted almost everyone in the room and even helped find seats for people. When he finally took the stage, my only thoughts were, “Amazing.” It was the most spontaneous and versatile show I had ever seen, and definitely one of the best. The acoustics and echoes from the microphones fooled my ears into thinking I could have been at Phillip’s Arena. Vinx was a one man band, beat boxer, and recording studio. As he said himself, his music really doesn’t fall into any one category, except maybe that of "Fantastic." You really had to be there to enjoy his humor, amazing talent, and way with the crowd. To see my complete blog about this event, Click Here.
John Jones CD Release Party at Eddie's Attic
At low-lit Eddie’s Attic in downtown Decatur, John Jones held his CD release party amid friends, family, and music lovers. His elation for the release of “Evolution” was apparent in his presence. There were good food, good drinks, and fun people to fill the Attic with lots of laughter and excitement. There was quite a crowd for a 3pm show, and the atmosphere was positive and friendly. Most of those in attendance knew John, and many knew each other. John and several guest singers sang the songs from his album and then creatively added a few renditions (I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For) and other songs into the mix. John’s voice was top notch that afternoon, and you could tell he loved every bit of singing onstage. The performance of his songs was really powerful. While onstage he delighted in joking with the crowd, pushing the selling of his album, and telling about its creation and inspiration. It was a very relaxed and fun CD release party at which anyone would have felt right at home. To see my complete blog about this event, Click Here.
Danny Harper Jam Session at Churchill Grounds
Many voices were heard and many instruments played in the name of jazz last night at the Danny Harper Jam Session at Churchill Grounds in downtown Atlanta. The evening began with Danny on the trumpet, backed by the rest of his quartet on the drums, the bass, and the piano. He was later joined by the jazz guitar and the saxophone for a true, down home jazzy feel. Alvin Stone made an appearance as a vocalist for several songs, gathering cheers and applause from the crowd. The evening was relaxed and full of local talent playing and singing their hearts out. Be sure to make it down to Churchill Grounds every Tuesday night for Danny's Jam Sessions. You don't want to miss this experience! To read my blog on this event, Click Here.
"Trey Wright and Squat" at Bhojanic
Old friends and new friends gathered at Bhojanic in Decatur Saturday night to see Trey Wright and his band Squat. The small Indian restaurant was lit with candles and low stage lights to give a relaxed feel to the evening. The band played songs such as "Rickshaw," a wonderful jazzy rendition of "What Child is This?" in favor of the upcoming holiday, and a song off their newest album called "Dialogs," written by Trey. They also played a couple songs with a distinctly Latin vibe that kept fingers tapping and feet aching to dance. The combination of jazz guitar, keyboard, cello, bass guitar, and drums gave the little restaurant and its patrons a smooth, fun jazz show that no one will soon forget. To visit my blog about this event, click here.
"Trey Wright Trio w/ Mace Hibbard" at Churchill Grounds
A strong crowd was on hand to hear the Trey Wright Trio and his special guest Mace Hibbard swing an ordinary Friday night into high gear with some exceptional swinging tones. This show was an example of the depth of the Atlanta live jazz scene as both Trey and Mace also teach music at Kennesaw State University. The next generation of jazz greats are already in the making at Atlanta's colleges. Class was definitely in session this night. The trio treated us to a host of original music. One piece was inspired by Atlanta's signature travel commute and sometimes unbearable traffic. Music always seems more entertaining when you get the story behind the music. Hopefully, the traffic won't stop Trey from coming down to Churchill again soon. We look forward to more of his inspiring music.
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"Go All Night to China" at the High Museum of Art
Talk about a hip-shaking, hand-clapping fun time! Last Saturday the High Museum of Art held its "Go All Night to China" event. We got to hear Atlanta natives Judi Chicago and Noot d'Noot. The crowd was in for more dancing than they'd expected! Judi Chicago started the audience off with some electronic beats mixed with conversational lyrics, creating an interesting and different sound for all ages to enjoy. Their funky sounds easily started the feet tapping and encouraged the amateur break dancers to show off their skills (which were impressive!). Next up was Noot d'Noot, who made sure that everyone in the place was dancing along with them. Their funky jazz lit up the room; it was a surge of excitement and pure enjoyment. The band members themselves were having a good time and interacting with the crowd, and their unique variety of instruments came together to create a fresh, authentic, and dance-inspiring compilation that no one wanted to see end.
To see the rest of my full blog about this even, click here.
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"Jamming with Danny Harper" at Churchill Grounds
Trumpeter, composer, educator, and Atlanta Jazz Society board member are all titles that could be used to describe Danny Harper. He has been playing the trumpet professionally since the early 1980s and it has been a passion of his since he was a child. “Anybody who has an inside view of my history would probably call me a best kept secret if nothing else,” comments Harper on being called “Atlanta’s best kept secret” by the Atlanta Jazz Society. Churchill Grounds, 9 p.m. every Tuesday you can witness for yourself the skills and talents of Harper. If you want to know more about Tuesday nights at Churchill Grounds with Danny Harper then check out my blog or for the full interview click here.